Greenpeace leaves Romanian fracking site

BUCHAREST, Romania, July 8 (UPI) -- Activists from Greenpeace have left the site of a hydraulic fracturing effort in Romania led by Chevron, the environmental group said.

Greenpeace said its protesters were at the Chevron site for 15 hours to protest a hydraulic fracturing campaign. Through its Twitter account, Greenpeace Romania said 25 activists from seven different countries descended on the site early Monday to declare an "anti-Chevron quarantine area" in Pengesti.

"After 15 hours of non-stop protest at Chevron-Pungesti, all activists were evacuated, while press access was forbidden," it said in its latest post to the social media site.

Chevron says its hydraulic fracturing campaign in Romania is in the early stages. Its national subsidiary, Chevron Romania Exploration and Production, is the operator in the country's Barlad shale formation.

The company said it is drilling an exploration well in the area.

Shale campaigns in Europe are in their infancy. Romania is one of the Eastern European countries thought to be rich in shale gas reserves.

Greenpeace activists formed a human chain around the drilling site in Romania. While police were on hand during the demonstration, it was unclear if any arrests were made.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today’s UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI when after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.